Reims and Champagne-Tasting Day Trip from Paris

My wife and I booked this tour primarily because it included both champagne tasting and a visit to Reims. The visit to Reims did NOT happen despite the description clearly stating “Visit the Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral, coronation site of many French kings”. We would have made alternate plans if we’d known since we were really looking forward to seeing Notre Dame de Reims. We didn’t even go to the town of Reims to drive by and take pictures. So disappointing and I wish we had spent our money elsewhere.

Took this trip mid-August 2018. Cannot remember the guide's name. His knowledge and explanations were mediocre at best although, he claimed his was a self-taught expert. The trip was too expensive for what we received 630 for two people. First, I would expect to sit with my husband for the 1 hour 45 minute trip each way. Instead I had to sit with two strangers who I could hardy communicate with. The trip to Reims included a visit to the church only. We had 20 minutes to walk around the church with no guide or explanations. The description of lunch sounded like it was going to take place at the Champagne tasting place. The description stated Sample four different kinds of Champagne, artfully paired with a multicourse lunch including specialty Reims ham prepared with dried tomatoes and fruits, local cheeses and a Champagne lentil salad with foie gras. Finish on a sweet note with red fruit tiramisu and pink Reims biscuits. Instead, seven of us including the guide walked to a restaurant in Reims and had lunch at an okay restaurant. We had to select from a pre-set menu with limited options. If you wanted Champagne, it was not included. Overall, lunch was very ackward. We only went to one Champagne house, Dom Chaudron. Overall, it was informative, but kind of lame. They had us put on 3D glasses to look at 4 or 5 pictures on the wall. There was a movie of the Champagne making process, which was informative. The guide told us we had time to visit another winery, but we had to pay extra and everyone had to agree to go, which we did. It was a very small winery and much more enjoyable than the first. These are just some of the high lights/low lights. Some reviews for this trip are very positive. Unfortunately, our experience was very good.

This tour was good, but pretty expensive for what you actually get. The tour was very unorganized. As soon as we got in the car with our guide, he immediately told us our tour had been changed and not everyone was going to the champagne houses they paid for....apparently some of us paid for one tour and some of us paid for another tour, so regardless of what we did, someone would be disappointed. We started at a small champagne house - great. Next we went to Mercier - good. Lunch was after that, and for a Michelin Star restaurant, it wasn't good. After lunch is when things got weird, our tour guide said the tour company had cancelled our last tasting of the day, so he had to improvise and get us in somewhere else - quick thinking on his part. However, at the end of the day, it seemed like this tour was thrown together last minute, not allowing everyone to get what they actually paid for.

Champagne tasting at Dom Caudron was generous we also went to Moët et Chandon. Left the city at 9 and returned at 6 so a full day but not overly long.